The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-02
some Startling Suggestions

Some Startling Suggestions.
The New York Tribune of the 23d ult.
tells Of conversation between Col. A.
w. Soper, interested in railroad mat
ters," and Col. J. G. Clarke, President
of the Illinois Central, occurring in the
corridor of the Fifth Avenue Hotel,
which was interrupted by reporter of
the Tribune with the question, "What
are the railroads going to do about the
interstate commerce bill"
President Clarke makes this reply:
81 can only tell you what l think they
ought to do. There ought to be an imme-
diate call for a National Convention of
railroad men, Every railroad in the coun-
try ought to be represented. They ought
to come together and agree to a rigid line
of operation under this bill, obeying it
strictly in every respect. Then they ought
to put up the rates of through freight
100 per cent and stick to them.
at would probably create the biggest
panic this country has ever seen, but that
is just what / think the country needs
when il permits its Legislators to pass
measure like this Interstate Commerce
bill. The putting up of the rates, as l
have suggested, would shut off every bit of
produce west of the Alleghanies from
access to the seaboard. OF course, the
stockholders of the railroads would suffer,
but they ought to suffer in order to see
these things as they are. The shutters
would go up on New York banks and one
hour of twenty. four would be sufficient for
the transaction of their entire business.
1t would not be long before the people
would be clamoring to Congress Tor some
relief, nor before there would be no man
in either branch of Congress that would
dare to refuse to vote for the repeal Of
this bill. The fact is that there was never
any more preposterous notion than that
five men will be competent to regulate the
commerce of this country, when 10.000,000
men have been trying to regulate it for
years and years. These 100000 men
comprise bankers, merchants, brokers,
railroad men, farmers and shippers of all
kinds. They are men who know more
about the shipping business, about the
transportation business and about railroad
business than the best equipped man in
Congress. | was over IN Washington
while ago, and sat in the gallery looking
down on these representatives of the pc O.
pie l declare to you that believe / could
bring together 400 track hands who posses.
more intelligence than the American Con-
gress | never knew such piece of alb
surdity as that these fellows should be I'M
derstood as to be able to solve the trans
portation problem. If had horse that
needed shoeing, would not take him to
the doctor or the dentist On the other
hand, if | had a sick wife, l would not
send for the blacksmith to give her pre-
scription. | would think that / had des-
perate task before me if were called spon
~ III III. iidii puipit to-HOfHoh uoih
ing, but certainly could do that easier
than DIR. Hall could make tariff fol
railroad. / shall have been forty years
in the railroad business on the first of
March next. In that time l have made
and helped to make over 1000 tariffs and
never saw one that did not require chang
ing within an hour after it went into
practical operation. The greatest railroad
war we ever had in this country, which
lasted over two years and nearly ruined
every trunk line in the country, was started
by the Board Of transportation of New
York, which made the proposition at the
instance of Vanderbilt that the through
rates to all seaboard points should be equal.
This was discrimination in favor of New
York as against Philadelphia and Balti-
more, which Garrett and Roberts fought
to bitter end. There must be differential
rates on account of difference in distance
and other conditions. l think if the rail-
roads come together and take proper action
under this bill the country will soon wish |
for its repeal"
1t will be a matter of more than ordi- |
nary surprise to the friends of this usu-
ally discreet aud leavel-headed gentle |
man to find that he is the author of |
plan of obedience to the laws of the |
land which, according to his own inter
probation of it, would bring disaster on |
the agricultural, commercial and fnan- |
cial interests of the country. How |
much more in keeping with the wisdom |
accorded this distinguished and success
full railroad manager would it have been |
to reply that the law was in his opinion
q bad one, but that so far as he was con-
cerned, he would try to obey il in such |
way that as little embarrassment to the |
country should follow as possible, so
that whatever its dement's another Con-
gress would be in the humor to make
useful and necessary amendments.
If Mr.. Clarke can allow himself to
become SO exasperated at the exercise
by the United States of Constitutional |
as to say, when speaking of the
Congress, that he ''could bring together
400 track hands who possess more intel
ligence," is anything lacking to demon
strate the pressing necessity for the
exercise of wholesome restraint on the
whose common sentiment
be doubtless speaksf
In the matter of railroad regulation
interstate commerce, the rail-
road companies have appealed from the
States to the United States. They have
their response. 1. From the
Supreme Court locating the power to
regulate interstate traffic, and (2) from
the Congress, by the passage of bill
exercising that power. They would
ike now, if it were possible. to have it
decided that the bill which Congress
has passed trenches upon the powers
reserved to the States. II fact, IL il
yiven out that Attorneys General GAR
and, TO whom the bill recently passed I
BE- been referred for an opinion, had !